Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC Playstation

Planar drivers and active noise cancellation rarely go hand in hand: the constraints of one hinder the operation of the other. Audeze brings them together for the first time in a headset equipped with ANC, while retaining the 90 mm planar drivers that built the reputation of the Maxwell range. This PlayStation version is aimed at gaming and voice communication, including in noisy environments, with a clear promise: consistent sound, whether noise cancellation is on or off.

Noise cancellation without altering the sound

ANC is a first for Audeze: none of its headsets had offered it until now. The system is adaptive hybrid, with microphones placed outside and inside the ear pads (feedforward and feedback) and claimed attenuation of up to 35 dB. A Transparency mode lets room sounds through when needed, without removing the headset.

What sets the Maxwell 2 ANC apart is less the depth of attenuation than its neutrality. On many headsets, enabling ANC changes the sound signature, often in the bass. Audeze claims to maintain the same frequency response, whether active noise cancellation is on or off. For a planar headset, this is the kind of detail that matters more than the attenuation figure itself.

The sound of 90 mm planar drivers

The headset retains the entire acoustic section of the Maxwell 2: one 90 mm planar driver per ear, among the largest on the market in this format. The N50 neodymium magnet and Fluxor array maintain a powerful magnetic field around the Uniforce diaphragm, whose traces distribute force evenly across the entire surface. Fazor guides manage wave propagation behind the driver to limit resonances in the upper spectrum.

SLAM technology handles bass and transients: Audeze presents it as a way to achieve firmer, deeper low frequencies without making them muddy. Frequency response covers 10 Hz to 50 kHz, distortion remains below 0.1% at 100 dB, and maximum level exceeds 115 dB SPL. Dual balanced 2 × 1.4 W amplification powers the drivers, helping a planar headset, inherently power-hungry by nature, retain dynamics during demanding passages.

Spatial audio and head tracking

Spatial rendering is handled by Dolby Atmos and, on PlayStation, by the console’s Tempest 3D Audio engine. This is supplemented by self-calibrating head tracking: in compatible applications, the soundstage remains fixed when you turn your head, as if sounds were coming from stable points around you. In games, this refines the placement of footsteps or gunfire in space; in films or multichannel music, the soundstage gains solidity.

This tracking depends on the content and software: outside titles and applications that support it, it has no effect, and spatial rendering then works more conventionally, without dynamic repositioning.

A detachable microphone and AI filtering

For voice, a removable hypercardioid microphone clips onto the left ear cup, with a supplied pop filter. Its narrow pickup pattern primarily captures what comes from the front and rejects some lateral noise. FILTER AI Noise Removal processing is added on top: it analyzes the signal to remove background noise (fan, keyboard, distant voices) before it reaches your contacts.

The headset also includes beamforming microphones that combine physical noise reduction and AI processing, usable when the boom is removed, for example while travelling or for a quick call. Quality is slightly lower than with the dedicated microphone, but it avoids having to reconnect the boom just to say a few words.

The dongle, Bluetooth and consoles

Three connection options lead to the headset. The wireless USB-C dongle provides an ultra-low-latency link, best suited to gaming, where even the slightest delay between image and sound is noticeable. Bluetooth 5.3 takes over for phones or tablets, with LDAC, AAC and SBC codecs as well as Bluetooth LE Audio’s LC3 and LC3plus formats; Auracast and multipoint let you follow two sources at once or share a stream. Wired operation supports digital USB-C and an active analogue 3.5 mm TRRS jack input.

This model is the PlayStation variant: it works with Sony consoles, as well as a PC or Mac, a Nintendo Switch 2, an Android smartphone or tablet, an iPhone or iPad (via USB-C, or through a compatible Lightning adapter). Xbox support is reserved for the Xbox version of the headset, sold separately. Detailed settings (equalizer, ANC level, microphone monitoring) are available through the Audeze application on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

Weight and long-term comfort

At 560 g, the headset is among the heaviest in its category. Audeze has reworked its fit to compensate: a wide, ventilated headband distributes weight across the head, and new memory foam ear pads seal more effectively around the ears, benefiting both comfort and passive attenuation. During long sessions, the weight remains noticeable, especially for anyone coming from a 300 g plastic gaming headset; however, support on the top of the head limits pressure on the ears.

The ear cups accept magnetic ReSkin covers, sold separately, to change the look of the headset without buying a new one. Silver accents visually distinguish the Maxwell 2 ANC. In terms of endurance, the 1800 mAh lithium-polymer battery lasts around 35 hours with ANC and up to 40 hours without it. Twenty minutes of charging restores approximately 25% battery life, and a full charge takes nearly two hours via USB-C.

Technical Specifications

General

• Type: closed-back circumaural wireless gaming headset
• Use: gaming, multimedia, music
• Weight: 560 g

Audio and drivers

• Driver type: planar magnetic
• Driver diameter: 90 mm
• Magnet type: N50 neodymium
• Proprietary technologies: Fluxor, Fazor, SLAM, Uniforce diaphragm
• Frequency response: 10 Hz – 50 kHz
• Maximum sound pressure level: > 115 dB SPL
• Harmonic distortion (THD): < 0.1% at 100 dB
• Integrated amplification: dual balanced amplification 2 × 1.4 W
• Spatial audio: Dolby Atmos, Tempest 3D Audio, head tracking (compatible applications)
• Noise reduction: active noise cancellation (ANC) up to 35 dB with Transparency mode

Microphones

• Main microphone: detachable hypercardioid microphone
• Voice processing: FILTER AI Noise Removal
• Built-in microphones: beamforming with physical and AI noise reduction

Wireless connectivity

• Proprietary technology: ultra-low latency USB-C dongle
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Codecs: Bluetooth LE Audio, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC, AAC, SBC
• Bluetooth features: Auracast, Multipoint

Wired connections

• USB-C digital audio
• Active analog 3.5 mm TRRS jack

Battery and power

• Battery type: 1800 mAh lithium-polymer
• Battery life (ANC off): up to 40 hours
• Battery life (ANC on): up to 35 hours
• Fast charging: 20 minutes = approximately 25% battery
• Full charging time: approximately 2 hours
• Charging: USB-C (5 V / 1.8 A max.)

Compatibility

• PC / Mac
• PlayStation
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Android smartphones and tablets
• iPhone and iPad (USB-C or compatible Lightning adapter)
• Audeze app (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)

Box contents

• Audeze Maxwell 2 headset
• Detachable microphone with pop filter
• Wireless USB-C dongle
• USB-C to USB-C cable (1.5 m)
• USB-C to USB-A adapter (0.3 m)
• 3.5 mm TRRS analog audio cable (1.2 m)